SARS-CoV-2 Virus Culture and Subgenomic RNA for Respiratory Specimens from Patients with Mild Coronavirus Disease
Ranawaka A. P. M. Perera, Eugene Y. K. Tso, O. T. Y. Tsang, Dominic N.C. Tsang, Kitty S. C. Fung, Yonna W. Y. Leung, Alex W. H. Chin, Daniel K. W. Chu, Samuel M. S. Cheng, Leo L. M. Poon, Vivien Wai‐Man Chuang, Malik Peiris
Abstract
We investigated 68 respiratory specimens from 35 coronavirus disease patients in Hong Kong, of whom 32 had mild disease. We found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and subgenomic RNA were rarely detectable beyond 8 days after onset of illness. However, virus RNA was detectable for many weeks by reverse transcription PCR.
Topics & Concepts
Subgenomic mRNAVirologyCoronavirusVirusCoronaviridaeRNABetacoronavirusRespiratory systemDiseaseRespiratory diseaseNidoviralesPneumoniaMedicineBiologyCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)GeneInfectious disease (medical specialty)LungPathologyInternal medicineBiochemistrySARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchSARS-CoV-2 detection and testingViral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology